


Titans Together: Trapped

by ElenaTheHyperactiveFangirl14



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: DaddyBats, Dick Grayson is Robin, F/M, Protective Bruce Wayne, Robin whump, Slade is evil, The Batfamily is awesome, The Brotherhood is evil, The Titans are awesome, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-02-27 12:27:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13248225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElenaTheHyperactiveFangirl14/pseuds/ElenaTheHyperactiveFangirl14
Summary: What if Robin hadn't been frozen by the Brotherhood of Evil? Instead, he is captured and brutally interrogated, while the Brotherhood negotiates with a certain one-eyed assassin to hand over the Boy Wonder. To make matters worse, the Titans have lost half their numbers to the Brotherhood's freeze ray... who can help them now?





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> So....hi, guys. This is my first story on the Archive, hope y'all like it! Please comment!  
> Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.

Madame Rouge laughed as she approached. "Ze Titans will all fall," she proclaimed. "One by one ve vill pick zem off until none are left. And then, Robin, you vill watch as they are frozen." 

"The Titans won't be beaten that easily," Robin insisted. "The Brotherhood of Evil will never win." 

The villainess smirked. "Tell zat to your friends. We've been tracking them." 

The Titans' leader narrowed his eyes. "How?" He demanded, shocked. His thoughts went instantly to his team- the original Titans. Were they safe? Was Star safe? 

Briefly, he felt guilty for not having faith in his friends; however, he was responsible for their safety. But the Titans were hidden, right? The Brotherhood of Evil couldn't get to them if they were nowhere to be found. "The communicators have been secured..." 

Madame Rouge shrugged. "Ah, yes. Zat communicator you gave to Hotspot. I remember." Suddenly, she began to change shape, her form shifting to that of a dark-skinned teenage boy. Hotspot. 

"The communicator.... That was you?" 

"Obviously," Madame Rouge replied. "You have played right into our hands, Robin- Ze Titans vill fall." 

"It's my fault," Robin breathed, horrified. "I did this." 

"And ze first to pay ze price will be your own team," the French shape shifter promised. "But first... a captive audience vill be required." Behind her, a huge figure- Cinderblock- materialized, and with a groan, Robin realized he was trapped. There would be no escaping from this. 

Dodging a punch from Madame Rouge, Robin flipped backwards out of reach of Cinderblock's hand. As he sprinted away, he pulled out his communicator. "Titans!" he called. "The Brotherhood has been tracking our communicators. All of your positions are compromised. I'm triggering their self-destruct sequence now. Good luck, guys." After a short hesitation, he spoke again. "I'm trapped, probably going to be captured. Don't come after me; you'll be risking yourselves. Starfire...." he paused. "Love you, Star." What the heck; he was probably going to die anyway. "Robin out." 

Turning the communicator over, he ripped off the back cover. After yanking out a few wires, with the speed of a professional he short-circuited the device. One by one, he knew the other Titans' communicators would begin to spark and break apart, creating a domino effect. 

As he tossed the device aside, he felt a hand grab him from behind. Cinderblock snatched him up in a bear hug, squeezing until Robin was gasping for air. As Madame Rouge looked on, Robin struggled weakly in the giant's grasp, feeling something in his chest crack. 

Finally, Rouge lifted a hand. "Release him," she ordered. Unceremoniously, Cinderblock dropped the Titan to the ground. 

Robin felt his arms being bound to his sides; he couldn't resist as he was dragged to his feet. 

The shape shifter stepped forward. "Goodnight, Boy Wonder." 

Then something hit him over the head, and Robin knew no more. 

 

\-- 

 

"Oh my god." murmured Cyborg as his communicator short-circuited. "Not Robin. Anyone but Robin." 

He had just defeated Mammoth, and was making his way to the Titans' underground bunker in Kole's and Gnarrk's territory. He would be safe there. Hopefully the other Titans would make it there as well... 

When he finally reached the familiar forest, he sighed with relief. There was already someone here; his scanners were detecting people within. Quickly entering the pass code, he entered as soon as the door was open. 

Silence fell when he entered. Ten of the Titans were already present; Kole, Gnarrk, Beast Boy, Jericho, Mas, Herald, Pantha, Starfire, Bumblebee, and Red Star. They all looked up at him, except for Starfire, who was sitting on the sofa with her knees drawn up to her chest, staring off into space. She was being comforted silently by Jericho, who had an arm around the alien girl's shoulders. 

"Um..." Cyborg began. "Hey, guys." 

"Hey, Cy," Beast Boy murmured. 

"Hello, friend Cyborg," Starfire greeted halfheartedly. 

Instantly Cyborg's big brother instinct kicked in. "You two okay?" 

"I guess," Beast Boy said, shrugging. 

Starfire stood abruptly. "No, Cyborg, I am not okay! Nothing will ever be okay! Those klorbags have taken Robin. He could be injured, or suffering the torture, or...or..." She trailed off and began pacing. 

"Star, calm down," Cyborg soothed, coming to stand before her and grabbing her shoulders. "It's gonna be okay. Besides, we don't know that he's been captured." 

She stared at him for a long moment, then burst into tears, throwing herself into Cyborg's arms. "I- I am scared," she sobbed. 

As he led her to the couch, Cyborg realized more people had arrived. Raven stood just inside the door, holding a baby, with a toddler hanging onto her hand. A blonde-haired little girl stood nearby, holding hands with a huge teddy bear. The sight was so bizarre Cyborg blinked several times before deciding, Hey, we're Titans. None of us are normal. 

Raven moved closer to her teammates, and in an uncharacteristic display of affection, put an arm around Starfire’s shoulders. “I take it you all know what happened?” she murmured to Cyborg. 

“Yeah.” 

Raven looked over her shoulder at the little girl and bear. “Melvin, Bobby, come here," she called. "This is Cyborg, Starfire and Beast Boy." 

"Hi," said Melvin shyly. "Are you sad, Starfire?" 

The Tamaranian girl looked up. "I am okay," she said softly. 

As the little girl spoke to Starfire, Raven pulled Cyborg aside. "Have you heard anything else about Robin?" 

"His belt's tracking device sent out a signal in France, then the tracker was destroyed," Cyborg replied. "Or at least that's what it looks like. Who do you think he was fighting?" 

Raven shrugged. "Not sure. I think Cinderblock might have been one of them, just based on the sounds in the background of the message. I guess at this point, there's no doubt that they took him?" 

He sighed, defeated. "No." 

"We have to go after him," Raven said determinedly, slamming one fist into the other palm in a gesture Robin often made. 

Surprised, Cyborg frowned. "Rae, you heard what he said-" 

With an unearthly growl, Raven glared at him with four red eyes as her soul-self expanded behind her, looming over him. "I don't care!" she boomed. "We're going after him!" 

Just as quickly, she shrank back into her human form and scowled. "How dare you even think of leaving him with the Brotherhood? Do you realize how much he has done for us, sacrificed for us?! Have you already forgotten what happened with Slade?" 

Cyborg lifted a hand. "No, Raven, I haven't forgotten. Every day I regret the things Robin's had to do for us, everything he's sacrificed, every time he saw Slade and we didn't believe him. Don't get me wrong, I hate the thought of leaving him there, but let's face it. He ordered us not to go after him...." 

"Cyborg, Robin would order us to do anything for the sake of the mission. He'd never put us in danger, but he'd tell you to kill him if it would help the mission," Beast Boy interjected. 

"I never thought I'd say this, but Beast Boy's right," Raven agreed. "We need a plan." 

 

\-- 

 

"Patiently, we watched you all, waiting for our moment to strike. You forged your alliance. You trusted without cause and finally, when you thought your world was safe, it fell apart before your very eyes. You are merely pawns in a game and you have played your part perfectly." 

Hotspot and Wildebeest stood there, frozen in place. Their expressions were shocked; fearful of their fate. Their bluish skin was unnatural; eerie in the dim light. Beside them were Argent. Menos. Aqualad. Speedy. Bushido. Thunder and Lightning. And a dozen others, all frozen solid. 

"There is nowhere you can hide and there is nothing you can do to stop us. Each small victory brings us closer to an even greater prize — the elimination of an entire generation of heroes. And we owe it all to you, Robin." 

The bound Boy Wonder stood before the Brotherhood with slumped shoulders. 

"Your network has been crushed. Your friends have no way to communicate or follow your commands. Together, you may be formidable, but apart, you are lost, powerless, mine. You will fall, one by one. Who among you can possibly stop me, now?" 

My friends. They're not here, right? They can still stop the Brotherhood. 

He lifted his head and gazed at the Brain. The sudden straightening of his posture and the smirk that lit up his pale face obviously surprised the villains, and Robin heard a few quiet protests. 

"Why are you smiling?" scoffed the voice of Madame Rouge. 

"You people have no idea what you're dealing with. You say you've captured my friends- so where are they? You may have captured some of us- but the most powerful of us are still loose. And if I know my team, they won't rest until the Brotherhood is defeated." 

Before he had finished speaking a fist met his ribs. Doubling over from the force of Cinderblock's blow, Robin gasped for breath. He hadn't seen that one coming. 

"We should freeze him now," Monsieur Mallah declared. "Ze boy is a nuisance." 

"No, Monsieur Mallah," Brain replied. "I have a much worse fate planned for the little hero. He has information quite valuable to many of our members... Information that I plan on getting." 

"What do you want, Brain?" Robin demanded. "You know about the Titans; what is it you think I'll be able to tell you?" 

The Brain laughed; the deep, mechanical sound grating on Robin's nerves. "Your friends may not know about your past, but I do... I know about your mentor, your brothers... I know about your friends among the Justice League. That, Robin, is what I wish to know about." 

Instantly Robin shook his head. "Not happening." 

"Hmm. We shall see." 

"You will never get away with this, Brain," he murmured. "By coming after me, you've come after the one person that has connections at the very top. When this is over you won't just be dealing with my team - you'll be hiding from all of Titans International and the entire Justice League. Getting rid of me will do you no good if every hero in the world and even a few criminals are out for your blood." 

"Stranger things have happened, little hero." 

 

\--


	2. Chapter 2

Two 

 

 

Robin was restrained excessively for one of his size. He was trapped in a chair that looked suspiciously like the ones Mad Mod had once restrained him and his friends in years ago. He was almost completely immobilized, as his hands were cuffed to the armrests, and his legs were bound to the chair at the ankles. His cape, belt and gloves missing, he had no way of escaping or fighting back- which could only benefit his interrogators. 

 

He couldn’t tell them. That was the one rule he had always had; always insisted on the other Titans following- Never share your identity. Of course, as the leader of the Titans, he made it his business to know the IDs of his teammates- but he kept his own secret. No one knew. And no one ever would. 

 

He took in the sight of the Brotherhood members surrounding him. Brain. Monsieur Mallah. Madame Rouge. The HIVE. Overload. Cinderblock. Plasmus. Johnny Rancid. Killer Moth. Mad Mod. Mumbo Jumbo. Kitten and Fang. All of them glared at him with hungry anticipation, knowing what was to come. Instantly, he remembered what they wanted. His name. Such a simple thing… but no. He wouldn’t tell them. Through the identities of himself and Batman, the Brotherhood could track down every member of the Justice League, every hero that had ever been connected to the Dynamic Duo. 

 

“Who are you?” Brain's voice was patient, cold. 

 

Robin smirked, raising his eyebrows. “I thought we had discussed this already.” 

 

“You know what I mean, boy.” 

 

He shrugged. “I’m Robin.” 

 

"Monsieur Mallah, if you will..." 

 

The huge gorilla cracked his knuckles and stepped forward, looming over him. "Your real name." 

 

Robin pretended to consider it for a moment, then shook his head, becoming serious. "No." 

 

Mallah reached down and seized the Titan leader's wrist where it was bound to the chair. Running his hand down to the first two fingers, the gorilla adjusted his grip and effortlessly snapped them. 

 

When no sound escaped the captive Titan, the villains frowned and exchanged confused glances. Robin's face was pale, and his injured hand seemed to tremble slightly, but otherwise there was no sign of the pain he felt. And he had felt it. Contrary to popular belief, he wasn't invincible. But he had to make it look that way. 

 

"How about now?" growled Mallah. 

 

"Hmmm," Robin mused. "Nah. I'm good." 

 

Snap. Another two digits were broken and a tiny gasp was heard. Instantly Robin bit his lip, cursing himself. Don't show your pain. 

 

A few villains laughed and he glared in return. Mallah's huge hand grabbed Robin's thumb, and the Boy Wonder flinched, preparing himself for the pain. 

 

"Now, tell me who you are." Madame Rouge's voice was low and sickly sweet as she held a small knife against the side of his face. Her other hand gripped his hair, forcing his head back. "Or I'll carve you like a bird." 

 

He spat in her face. 

 

Rouge recoiled, quickly flinging away the spittle with a look of disgust. As she did so, Monsieur Mallah snapped Robin's thumb without warning, eliciting a pained whimper from the teen. Several Brotherhood members laughed, but their voices died when they saw the murderous expression on the assassin's face. As she turned back to Robin, her eyes glinted dangerously. "Oh, little bird, you've made a big mistake," she murmured. "Unlike my companions, I am not afraid to draw blood." 

 

 

\-- 

 

 

It had been ten minutes, though it felt like an hour. Madame Rouge had done her work well, it seemed. Blood trickled down his arms from multiple long, shallow wounds. Not enough to kill or even severely weaken, but enough to hurt like hell. However, during all the torture he hadn't made a sound. Obviously, the woman would have done more, but the Brain had stopped her. 

 

"You have gotten your point across, Madame Rouge," the mastermind stated. "Now tell me, Robin. Who is behind the mask?" 

 

Robin lifted his head, glaring at the brain in a jar and his minions. "I won't tell you anything." 

 

Mallah moved forward again, going for Robin's right hand. The hero cursed silently as he flinched away from the gorilla. Silently and efficiently, the first two fingers on his hand were bent backward and broken. 

 

The same question was asked again, and once more he refused. The irony-filled mantra of don't tell them, don't betray your friends played over and over again in his mind, drowning out the demanding voices. For the past year he had worried to himself about the loyalty of the newest Titans....and now he was the one most likely to reveal their secrets. 

 

As his fingers were systematically broken, he let a tiny moan escape. It sounded pathetic even to him. 

 

Brain spoke again. "Overload, see if you can make him talk." 

 

Robin watched as Overload, his form sparking and snapping in anticipation, neared him. This was not going to end well... 

 

Suddenly a powerful jolt of electricity hit him so hard he lost complete control. His back arched, muscles spasming uncontrollably, as pain seemed to take hold over his body. After a long fifteen seconds of pure agony, Robin could no longer stand it. The scream that echoed through the Brotherhood's lair sent chills up the spines of half of the villains present. Gizmo unconsciously stepped closer to Mammoth, eyes wide, as Billy Numerous and See-More covered their ears. Eyes widening in excitement, several watchers, including Madame Rouge, stepped forward, grinning madly. 

 

Finally, after another few seconds, Overload cut off the electric current flowing into the chair, and Robin slumped forward. Hair hanging in his eyes and sweat running down his face, he gasped for breath, allowing himself to be supported by his bonds. He looked up, only to see Overload once more nearing him... 

 

"No," he rasped weakly, but the electrical monster continued forward. "Please... not again!" But his plea was ignored as the pain returned in full force. Screaming in agony, he thrashed against his bonds and only added more bruises to his arms and legs. When the electricity was cut off, his cries were reduced to pained gasps as his form shook. "Please.....n-no more." He knew his pleas sounded pathetic, but he didn't care. 

 

"What is your answer now?" Brain inquired. 

 

Robin wearily lifted his head. ".....go to hell," he rasped. 

 

"I think it's time for more drastic measures," the Brain droned. "Set up the camera." 

 

Wait...the camera? Instantly Robin understood. They were going to show this to his friends... 

 

"No!" he cried out. "Don't let them see this, don't show them..." He thought of Star, Beast Boy, and the youngest of the honorary Titans... He didn't want them to see this. BB was only fourteen... 

 

"Shut up," Mallah muttered, hitting him across the face. Robin fell silent. 

 

As the camera was set up, Madame Rouge came towards him with a blindfold. He attempted to pull away, but there was nowhere for him to go as the dark cloth was tied tightly around his eyes. 

 

When a cold blade pressed against his neck, he flinched away, then the knife was slipped under his sleeve and cleanly sliced through the fabric. Panicking silently, he held still as the top of his uniform was systematically cut off. Finally, when his chest and back were bare, he heard the Brain's voice. "Are you ready, boy?" 

 

Robin ignored the question. "What's going to happen now?" 

 

Madame Rouge snickered darkly. "Your friends require, shall ve say, some incentive to turn zemselves in." 

 

Well now, that doesn't sound ominous at all. "What kind of 'incentive?'" Robin asked. 

 

"How loyal are you to your friends?" asked the Brain suddenly. 

 

Caught off guard by the question, Robin tilted his head to the side, confused. 

 

"How much would you do for them?" the evil genius clarified. 

 

Robin frowned. "If you know as much about my past as you say, I don't need to answer that question." 

 

The cold, robotic laugh echoed through the room. "Yes, Robin, I know about your apprenticeship with Slade. You would sacrifice your relationship with your friends, your very life and liberty for them." 

 

Robin hesitated, not liking where this was going. "Don't you touch them," he hissed venomously. 

 

"So, by further reasoning...." the Brain continued, "would they not do the same for you?" 

 

And then Robin understood. He was being used as bait; a way to draw his friends to the Brotherhood of Evil to be killed. "They won't fall for it," he spat. "I ordered them not to come for me." 

 

"You know as well as I that they will not obey you. As their leader, you are worth more to them than anything else." The machine's voice sounded self-satisfied. "And if they know you are in danger or being harmed... they will stop at nothing to find you." 

 

"They'll beat you," Robin whispered desperately. 

 

"Perhaps, Robin, but first, we will beat you. And you will be broken." The voice sounded menacing. 

 

Seconds later, he heard the distinct crackling of Overload's approach... Flinching, he shrank back from the electric monster. 

 

"Aaagghh!" He screamed as waves of electricity bathed him in pain and the slight smell of singed hair. How much charge is he putting into me? he wondered vaguely. 

 

Finally, the electricity was shut off, and Robin hung limply in his bonds. As he tried to find the energy to move, Rouge spoke. "Turn the camera on." 

 

The...camera? Huh? 

 

"Say hello to your friends, Boy Wonder." And Robin knew this was being recorded. Perhaps even streamed live... 

 

"Robin!" cried several surprised voices at once, confirming his guess. 

 

"Dude...." That had to be BB. 

 

"Oh my God, they've really done it this time." That sounded like Cyborg! 

 

"Robin, what have they done to you?" asked Starfire's uncertain voice. 

 

"...Star?" he murmured, still dazed from the electric shock. 

 

Wait. Beast Boy was there. And Raven's young friends.... "Get the kids out of there, Cy!" he called urgently. He heard Raven urging the younger Titans from the room. Good....he didn't want them to see this. 

 

Cyborg spoke again. "Where are you, Robin?" 

 

"No!" Robin blurted out. "You can't! Please, guys, don't try to find me..." 

 

"Hello, Titans." said Madame Rouge, and from the muffled gasps he heard, Robin guessed that she had come into view of the camera for the first time. "As you can see, ve have captured ze Boy Wonder. Now, ve vould like to bargain for your surrender." 

 

"Don't listen to her, guys!" he all but screamed. "You can still beat them-" 

 

He was silenced by a slap to the face. Deathly silence filled the room, then angry protests rang out on the other end of the connection. As Robin opened his mouth to speak again, Rouge pressed a knife lightly to his neck. "Don't make me use this," she crooned in his ear, and he shivered. 

 

"This an interrogation," said the Brain. "Robin, you will tell us your identity, or your friends will watch you be broken." 

 

 

\--


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait, everyone! Here's the next chapter.

Three

In the bunker, the Titans were arguing when the computer console beeped, signaling an incoming video call. Warily, Cyborg moved forward, and accepted the call. The image that expanded on the screen made Raven's heart skip a beat. A shirtless, bruised teenage boy sat handcuffed to a chair, his black hair hanging limply in his face and a blindfold around his eyes. In the background stood the entire Brotherhood of Evil.  
"Robin!" cried Starfire, Cyborg, and half the other honorary Titans. Raven gaped, shocked.  
"Dude," whispered Beast Boy in shock.   
"Oh my God, they've really done it this time," hissed Cyborg venomously.  
"Robin, what have they done to you?" Starfire asked softly.   
"...Star?" Robin rasped, lifting his head. After a moment's pause, he stiffened. "Get the kids out of there, Cy!" he cried out.  
"Melvin, take Bobby, Teether and Timmy and go to the game room," Raven ordered, understanding. "Don't come back here until I call you. Beast Boy and Más.... you may want to go with them. This won't be pretty."  
"Okay, Wayven," agreed Melvin.   
"No way, Rae!" retorted Beast Boy. "I'm staying."  
"¡Yo no quero salir!" cried Más.   
"Robin, where are you?" Cyborg asked.   
"No!" Cried their leader. "You can't! Please, guys, don't try to find me!"  
Raven noticed that Robin's fingers on both hands were limp and swollen, and she realized with horror that they had all been systematically broken. Dried blood coated his arms, from the numerous shallow wounds covering them. In addition, a huge purple bruise marred his right cheek.   
"Hello, Titans." said a new voice. Madame Rouge stepped into view in front of Robin. "As you can see, ve have captured ze Boy Wonder. Now, ve vould like to bargain for your surrender."   
"Don't listen to her, guys! You can still beat them!"  
Rouge slapped him, and for a moment, the Titans stood still, shocked. Then angry shouts rang out, Starfire in particular using some very creative insults. Rouge calmly ignores them as she stepped closer to Robin and whispered in his ear, pressing her knife against his neck. Stepping back, the assassin smirked.  
"This is an interrogation," droned the Brain, rolling into view. "Robin, you will tell us your identity, or your friends will watch you be broken."  
Robin hesitated, then stiffened. "No."  
"HIVE, loosen his tongue."  
Mammoth moved forward, grabbing Robin's chin from behind, forcing his head up and back and exposing his neck. Heart pounding, Raven looked at the hands wrapped around Robin's skull and shivered. The huge man could snap his neck like a twig right now...  
"Billy, would you do the honors?" Gizmo asked sarcastically, despite the doubt in the tiny villain's eyes. Raven felt vaguely sorry for the HIVE; they had clearly never seen, let alone participated in torture, and had obviously been shocked (no pun intended)- by what they had seen earlier- and yes, Raven knew about what had happened before this. Through their mental bond, she could see Robin's memories as though they were her own.   
Billy Numerous nodded mutely as he stood before the bound Boy Wonder.   
"What is your name?" growled Mammoth.  
"No."  
He received a punch in the jaw from Billy, then, instead of stopping the beating, the teenage villain narrowed his eyes, as though remembering all the times Robin and his Titans had kicked the HIVE's butt and humiliated them. Seeming to throw his punches with more force behind each blow, Numerous hit the Titan leader twice more in the face, then landed a rapid series of blows on Robin's torso. As an especially hard blow landed on his broken ribs, Robin cried out weakly, eliciting a dark chuckle from his tormentor. However, Raven felt like Robin's mind was only half there as he gasped for air, eyes watering from the pain.  
"Enough," called a barely audible voice from somewhere. After landing one last blow to Robin's temple, snapping the teen's head to the side, Billy stepped back.   
As Raven watched, The Brain spoke again. "I will give you one more chance to answer me, Robin. Must I order the HIVE to continue? Or perhaps summon Overload? A pity Slade isn't available..."  
Raven gasped. Slade was alive?   
"Not possible," Starfire murmured doubtfully.   
"It can't be," Cyborg breathed.   
All of the newest Titans looked confused. "I'll explain later," Raven told them, then returned her attention to the video.  
Robin visibly paled, and Raven's eyes widened. The Boy Wonder was terrified. After being held prisoner for hours and tortured, his body was weakening, as was his mind. "I can't..." he breathed.   
"Madame Rouge, inform Slade that we wish to make him an offer."  
"No!" Robin cried. "Please, don't call him-" but his cries were ignored.  
"And as for you, Robin... Overload, please continue."

\--

Fifteen minutes, ten shocks and several screams later, Robin had passed out. He was waking up slowly, and heard the Brain ordering his minions to leave. "I will allow you to say your goodbyes," he droned, then left. "You have five minutes."  
Now awake, Robin glanced at the screen. "I'm sorry, guys..." he paused, having a short coughing fit before continuing. "Not much... I can do about this now... I know it's pointless to order you not to come after me... but for your own good... If Slade really is alive, he can't be allowed near any of you... He has nothing to blackmail me with... and I'd like it to stay that way."  
"Do you want me to tell them about your history with Slade?" Raven asked.  
He nodded painfully. "They need to know everything. Cyborg... If you guys have to face the Brotherhood and Slade... call in my contacts. They can help you. One thing though..." He coughed. "He and I share the habit of obsessing over a villain... He may seem pretty intimidating, but don't be afraid to talk some sense into him." Pausing briefly, he continued. "Tell him I want you to know my ID. Just the original team though. No offense to the rest of you." He smiled weakly. "Cyborg... I doubt Slade will try the apprenticeship approach again. He'll want revenge, probably. But if I... you know... seem to turn bad, I swear it won't really be of my free will."  
"Yeah, man. I know."   
"Find the other Titans. Free them. The base is in Paris." He smirked triumphantly, though the effort made his face hurt. "Take care of my team, Cy. You too, Raven."  
He looked at Star, briefly admiring her beauty once more before speaking. "I meant what I said, Starfire. Don't forget that."  
"You are... leaving?" She asked.   
He nodded. "For a while. But I'll be back. I'll come back for you, Star." He glanced at Cyborg and Beast Boy. "Will you two laugh if I tell her something?"  
They seemed considered it briefly, then Cyborg shook his head. "Nah, man."  
"I love you, Starfire."   
Then the connection was severed, and the screen went black.   
Robin closed his eyes, knowing he would need to rest in preparation for what was to come. His body hurt everywhere, his muscles like jelly. He could feel at least four broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder from his fight with Cinderblock. Of course, whatever Slade planned for him would be worse. 

\--

When the video ended Starfire stood, utterly shocked, in the center of the room. Robin really did love her?   
But he was being taken to Slade. The one man that had hurt and manipulated their team more than once would have their leader delivered into his hands. Though she didn't think Slade would kill Robin, she did know that her friend would be hurt.  
"We must save him!" As she spoke, everyone in the room turned to stare at her. Scanning the group and silently daring them all to argue, she was surprised to see everyone nodding in agreement.   
"We can't leave him there," Cyborg put in. "He was right when he said it was pointless to tell us otherwise."  
"One thing needs to happen first." This was Bumblebee. "Who is Slade, and what is his so-called 'history' with Robin?"  
"It's a long story," Raven sighed. "You might want to sit down."  
Gradually, they all made themselves comfortable, and Raven began.   
"About a year after the Titans formed, we were attacked by the HIVE trio. Now they're known as the HIVE Five, of course, but back then it was just Jinx, Mammoth and Gizmo. They hinted at a mysterious employer who had ordered them to attack us. Gizmo would only say one word- 'Slade.' Robin tried to get them to reveal who Slade was but they wouldn't talk. Things settled down for a while, then the same employer persuaded Thunder and Lightning, villains at the time, to attack Jump City. During the fight, Robin found Slade and they fought briefly, then Slade escaped." She paused, and Cyborg continued.   
"From then on Rob was obsessed with finding the guy. Check out the Tower's evidence room and you'll find half the room devoted to Slade. He was irritable and rude to us all, hyper focused. After a while, a new criminal appeared, a thief named Red X. For a while, we wondered what he was up to, then we discovered he was working with Slade, stealing some valuable computer chips. Then, during our last battle with him, Robin was trapped under a net and told us to go on ahead. While we were fighting, Starfire defeated X, and was about to knock him out, then he pulled off his helmet. It was Robin."  
"In his obsession with finding Slade, he did the only thing he thought he could in order to meet Slade face to face," Raven murmured sadly. "He masqueraded as Red X, and almost succeeded in getting close to Slade, but his identity was discovered. Afterward, it was hard to trust him again. Robin was not used to being part of a team at that point, and didn't think he should tell us his plans so that the rivalry between us and Red X could seem realistic."  
"After a while though, things got better," Beast Boy put in. "We regained each other's trust, and though Robin's still pretty obsessive when it comes to Slade, he's gotten better. But a month later, Slade was back and causing more problems. He had built a.... what was it called again, Cy?"  
"A chronoton detonator."  
Gasps echoed through the room.  
"Uh, yeah. So we went after the detonator thingy to get rid of it, but Cinderblock was there. Robin stayed behind to fight him, and sent us ahead to stop the detonator." BB paused, remembering. "Only it wasn't real. It was a fake. Then this red beam-looking thingy came up and shot us, but no one was hurt."   
Raven picked up the story. "Robin was missing. When he defeated Cinderblock, he found a tracker showing Slade's exact location. Of course, he didn't wait for us. He went on ahead, after Slade. We didn't know it at the time, but the beam that had hit us hadn't been harmless." She paused, swallowing. "It had implanted hundreds of nanoscopic probes into our bodies, and at any given moment, they could be triggered and kill us slowly and painfully."   
"Slade was controlling the probes, and blackmailed Robin using our lives," Cyborg continued. "He forced him to become his apprentice."   
"Of course, Robin refused at first," Raven said. "Slade beat him until he could barely stand, then threatened to press the trigger... Finally Robin submitted. A few days later he stole a thermal blaster for Slade, and of course we were shocked to see him turn bad. He stole a few more times, until he defeated us all on the rooftop of Wayne Enterprises. He was ordered by Slade to use the blaster on us, and when he refused, Slade triggered the probes."  
"When we came to, Robin was gone," Cyborg said. "At that point, we realized something was wrong. After running some blood tests, I found the probes. When we went to find Robin, he and Slade were at the haunt, fighting. Of course, Slade won, but beat Robin around a little more just for sport... He gave in after Slade threatened to push the trigger again."  
"When we got there the probes were activated, and to force Slade to stop, Robin infected himself with the probes. Once they were deactivated, we kicked Slade's butt and got the heck out of there." Cyborg finished the story with a satisfied smirk.   
Raven shook her head. "It may have seemed like the end, but Slade's manipulation and cruelty hurt Robin more than he cares to admit. A year ago, he was infected by hallucinogens and saw visions of Slade for an entire night... I've seen his memories; Slade just kept beating him, over and over... In the morning he had six broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder, and countless scratches and bruises. Even after the dust was gone, he had nightmares for weeks."  
"So did you," Cyborg reminded her.   
"He's fought Slade for a long time," Beast Boy said. "And, yeah, we all got hurt...." He paused, obviously remembering Terra, "...but he went through the most."  
"And now the Brotherhood is sensing him back to Slade?" Bumblebee asked.   
"I knew the Brain was bad, but I did not think he would be this cruel." Starfire sounded depressed.   
Pantha moved forward. "I have a question. Who are these contacts Robin spoke of?"  
Cyborg smiled nervously. "Well, about that..."

\--


End file.
